


increase the peace!

by cliffakitten



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, a single homophobic slur, cop!luke, hippie!ashton, no michael or calum bc im a shit, oh well cal is mentioned very very briefly, set in like the late sixties but nothing too specific, this whole fic basically happened bc ash is a sweet little hippie prince, tweet inspired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-03-09 01:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3231668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cliffakitten/pseuds/cliffakitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke is a newbie cop in a small town with a big hippie movement. There's a certain mop haired, hazel eyed hippie boy that has caught his eye and who seems to have developed an unfortunate habit of getting arrested every other week.<br/>~<br/>or - how Luke falls in love with the hippie boy he's supposed to be guarding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	increase the peace!

**Author's Note:**

> Sup, my loves!
> 
> Okay, so this whole thing came around bc Ashton can't contains his inner hippie and tweets about it, giving me all the hippie!ash cop!luke thoughts... so yeah, this is also the first fic in a while which has no smut!   
> xx

When you were the new guy that only meant one simple thing, night shifts.

Not that Luke minded, most of the time that is, the night shifts at the station were pretty quiet, only the occasional drunk getting brought in during the early mornings. He could still play his music on the record player in the corner, not as loud as he would have done at home, but it was still music as he worked his way through the mountains of paper work his bosses had left.

It had just turned half twelve, and Luke had just settled down with a hot coffee and a brand new pile of speeding cases to file from that week, when there was a bang from the front door. Looking up he sees what must be the happiest guy to ever be arrested being led through the main doors, he has a rainbow bandanna wrapped around his mess of curly hair and the way he's dressed tells Luke that he's one of those hippie folks.

A really giggly hippie, apparently. The blonde boy raises an eyebrow at Steve, the officer who just brought the guy in, and the older man shrugs as he walks over to the desk once he had secured the guy in a cell. “He's fine, kid, don't worry just a little high. Shouldn't be too much trouble for you.” he says, stealing a biscuit from the box on the side before he leaves with a mutter of, “Damn hippies.”

Luke glances across at the boy in the cell, even from his desk he can see how his sleepy-drugged eyes are sparkling as he sits on the floor, with his head resting against the wall. He smiles to himself, turning back to the speeding reports, at least this guy was happy and not a loud yelling drunk. Steve was right, he'd be fine.

 

~

 

An hour later and Luke noticed something, or rather, something that was missing. He quickly checked his desk, making sure his new cup of coffee was still warm so it wasn't that. It was just then that he record ran out, and the station was cast into a long heavy stretch of silence before he realised what it was.

There was no more giggling. He looks up from his papers to see the hippie boy laying on his back in the cell, spread eagle over the cold stone floor and Luke's heart lurches at the sight.

The chair makes a high screeching sound as he pushes it back to run over to the cell door. He doesn't know anything about drugs really, in that respect he feels like a failure of a twenty one year old, but he didn't go to college or anything and he was never in that circle of friends at school who did that sort of thing. So Luke didn't exactly know if this was normal or if something was wrong? Maybe the guy had taken something else that Steve didn't know about? Maybe he was dead?

_oh shit please don't be dead, please be asleep, don't be dead, don't be dead_

“Hey... hey you... you dead?” Luke asks, a slight shake to his voice as his hands grip the bars tightly. “Oh c'mon please don't be dead.” he whines when there's no response from the guy, his eyes remaining closed and body unmoving.

He's toying with the idea of getting the keys to go in a check himself when there's a sudden cry of, “Gotcha!” and yet more giggling as Luke jumps out of his skin.

He scowls down at the boy on the floor, who's clutching his stomach tightly as he laughs uncontrollably. “That wasn't funny.” he mutters, hand running over his face as he sighs heavily, trying to bring his heart rate back down to normal.

“Oh, it was pretty funny.” the guy laughs, staring up at the officer with tears glistening in his eyes.

“I thought you had died!” Luke says, hands on his hips with the air a mother telling off her child.

The hippie manages to control his laughter after a moment, sitting up and crossing his legs in front of him, “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just bored and thought you looked it as well.” he offers.

Luke sighs, turning back to his desk. “Well you shouldn't have gotten arrested then and I'm not supposed to talk to prisoners, so I can't help you with that.” he tells him, turning the music back on before he sits back down, pulling over the next stack of papers.

 

~

 

“Please, just one drink.”

Luke's grip on his pen tightens. It had been ten minutes since the guy had started moaning about being thirsty and the blonde's resolve to ignore him was slowly wearing away.

“Not even coffee, just water will do.”

Two hours, just two hours left until they could let this guy go and Luke could be home in bed.

“You know, if you're not letting me have a drink because of what I believe in, then that's discrimination and prejudiced against me and I could in fact -”

Luke stands up suddenly, striding off into the staff room. He picks up a paper cup from the dispenser, fills it with water and heads back into the holding room, shoving the cup through the bars of the cell.

“There, your water, your highness.” he mutters, waiting for the other boy to take the cup from him.

He scrambles forward, up from the floor which he seems to prefer to sit on rather than the bench attached to the wall at the back. He flashes Luke a charming smile as he takes the drink, and he can't help but think how this guy must have all the girls wrapped around his finger with a smile like that. “I thought you weren't allowed to talk to prisoners?” he smirks.

Luke rolls his eyes, moving to step away again, when an arm shoots through the gap and clutches onto his shirt sleeve tightly. “No, wait I'm sorry. Just, come back for a second.” The guy asks and Luke hesitates. He really shouldn't, he shouldn't have gotten him a drink, shouldn't have talked to him in the first place, hell he shouldn't be letting him touch him like this but he was.

“What?” he asks, trying to be stern and professional which was pretty difficult when you had the biggest hazel eyes staring up at you.

“I'm sorry, thank you for the water.” the guy says, once Luke had turned back to face him. Then there was his free hand reaching through the bars and up to the young officers face, the finger landing softly on his nose and making Luke go slightly cross eyed as he followed its movements. “You...are my favourite.” he tells him, sweetly.

Before Luke can react in another way than just blinking stupidly at him, he's back to laying on the ground again, grinning up at the rather flustered boy and watching while he returns to his desk, ignoring the butterflies that have just invaded his stomach.

 

~

 

When the doors to the station open and Luke's replacement walks in, two hours later, he smiles gratefully. Nipping into the back to grab his coat and sign out for he heads home, catching a glance of the hippie boy, finally laying on the bench of the cell with his head on his arms and eyes closed.

Luke smiles at the sleeping boy, sure he had been a little annoying, but the company had been well...nice in the end.

 

~oOo~

 

Ashton Fletcher Irwin. Twenty three years old. Six foot tall with hazel eyes.

These were details which Luke had gotten to know pretty well in the past two months. Not out of any interest as he frequently reminded himself, just because of the number of times he had had to fill out an arrest sheet with these very facts.

It had gotten to the point where it was unusual for a whole week to pass without the hippie boy joining Luke at some point for his night shifts. And, to be honest he would be lying to himself if he hadn't grown to enjoy, and even look forward to, those evenings. Besides, it wasn't as if he was a dangerous hardened criminal, most of the charges for arrest were of 'public disruption'. Apparently Ashton had a  _lot_  to say about a  _lot_  of different things.

This night wasn't any different, almost right on queue an hour into Luke's shift, he found a rather grumpy Ashton spread out on his cell floor. Luke wasn't sure when he had started referring to the cell as 'Ashton's' in his head, but it was probably at a similar time when he noticed that he had begun smiling whenever he saw the mop of curly hair being led into the station.

Actually, there was something different this time, Ashton was usually so much more talkative and Luke usually had trouble shutting the guy up for more than two seconds. But tonight, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling in total silence with a odd 'piss off' aura surround him.

“What was it this time?” Luke asks, finally growing uneasy with the unusual silence. It was rare that he ever made the first move, which was probably why Ashton turned his head, blinking owlishly at the young officer for a moment.

“A protest outside the health clinic.” he says, but his voice holds none of the passion that Luke is used to hearing from him, so the answer doesn't exactly settle any of his concern.

The fact that he has developed concern to begin with should bother him, but Luke had pushed that thought to the back of his mind a few weeks ago now. “What for?” he presses, it was weirder still, having to try and force an explanation out of the boy when usually he was more than happy to rant on about which ever injustice he had been up against that week.

Ashton sighs deeply, hands coming up to rest behind his head, “They want to stop birth control being supplied there, like can you imagine if that happened?” the hippie boy sits up, running a hand across his face and shuffling closer to the bars so he can properly see Luke. He pauses for a minute, chewing on his bottom lip, and Luke finds himself so hooked on watching the movement that he jumps slightly when Ashton finally talks again. “Do you ever feel like all you fight for is for nothing in the end? Like are we actually making progress in the long run?” he sighs.

And Luke doesn't know what to say really, all he can think of is the sad, lost look on the other boy's face and how he really doesn't like it. Not one bit. He stands up, very aware of the feeling of Ashton's eyes on him as he walks around his desk, and sits down in front of the cell opposite him. “Look, Ashton I -” he begins, stopping when the hippie's face suddenly breaks into a smile.

“Hey, you know my name.” Ashton beams, like this is the best news he's heard all day and fuck if that doesn't make Luke's heart swell.

The blonde laughs, “Of course I do, I've had to fill in about eleven arrest reports for you by now.” he points out and Ashton actually has the nerve to look a little sheepish at that.

“Ha, yeah sorry about that, you know next time you could just hand it to me and I'll fill it I myself.” he says, and Luke can't actually tell if he is being serious or not.

“Or you could just stop getting arrested, how about that?”

Ashton laughs loudly, his grumpy mood seemingly a thing of the past and Luke mentally pats himself on the back. “Yeah, don't hold your breath on that one, man. But still, my favourite officer knows my name and I don't know his...that seems rather unfair, don't you think?” he winks.

And this was another problem Luke had, because all signs would say that Ashton was flirting with him right now, and judging from the fluttering in his stomach, Luke didn't seem to mind in the slightest. But it wasn't as if he could encourage it at all...as much as he often found himself wanting to.

Like now for instance, it was coming up to early morning and the first light was just starting to creep over through the windows of the station. It shone brightly in Ashton's hair, matching the red bandanna he was wearing this week, and making the green in his eyes more obvious than usual as well as the dimples in his cheeks as he smirked at Luke through the bars.

_he's beautiful_

_fuck what am i thinking_

Luke jumps to his feet, needing to get as far as he can from this boy before he really does do something stupid. Missing the slightly hurt look of disappointment on Ashton's face as he watches the blonde sit back behind his desk.

The rest of the time passes in a silence just as, if not more, heavy than the last. The little bridge that he and Ashton had been building between them, feels as if it had just had a chunk knocked out of it, and Luke is battling a desperate need to fix it before the other boy leaves. When the time comes, when Luke picks up the keys off the side and walks over to unlock the door of the cell, he takes a deep breath.

“It's, Luke.” he says quietly, stepping back and letting the other boy out. Ashton looks up at him, shocked for a second before a smile breaks out across his face and Luke throws all professionalism out the window, “Is my favourite prisoner happy now?” he asks, unable to keep the smile on his face as he brings Ashton to the door.

“Yep, very.” the hippie winks, skipping down the steps of the police station, flinging his hand out behind him, “See you next time, Luke.” he calls from down the street.

 

~oOo~

 

Luke was not in the best of moods.

It had taken him five minutes to walk up the steps of the station that night. Five whole minutes to get up eight measly steps. The reason being , that they were chocked full of reporters trying to get in to the said station. The reason for the flock of reporters was standing right in front of him, arms outstretched as he tries to reason with the annoyed looking, but secretly kind of amused, officer.

“I don't know what all the fuss is about, it was a peaceful protest!” Ashton insists as Luke stands there, leaning against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest, foot tapping ominously on the tile floor and a blank expression on his face.

“You egged a senator and his car, Ash.” Luke sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers, mainly to hide the smile that had crept onto his face.

Ashton steps forward, hands gripping the bars so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. “He was at a chicken farm, an industrial one...It was a statement!” he says, incredulously, jumping up and down a little in his frustration.

“Okay, but your little statement is being classed as assault, if the senator decides to press charges.” Luke explains, seriously. He doubts that the senator will actually press charges but he wants to use the moment to try and get into Ashton head how much this could end up costing him.

The thing was, some time along the line of the past few months, Luke had begun to...feel something inside him when ever he was with Ashton. And somewhere over the snack-consisted lunches that Luke brought with him and which they eventually had ended up sharing through the bars, while Ashton talked about the domination of the capitalists and the consequences of which ever war was going on somewhere in the world...somewhere during all that, Luke had totally fallen for the hippie boy.

It was like he was being pulled down further and further ever time he saw Ashton, and now the thought of something serious happening to him, made Luke's stomach churn.

The smaller boy whines, “It wasn't meant to hit  _him,_ it was a -”

“Statement, I know, Ash.” Luke laughs, “But I think the only 'statement' you made was against his windscreen.” he snorts at his feet, the brief smile on his face slipping right off when he looks back up.

Ashton's got a disbelieving expression on his face, like he had just realised something very quickly. “Are you really that cynical?” he asks, and he's calm now, much calmer than he had been moments ago but it wasn't a comfortable calm.

“What, no I'm not.” Luke argues, not liking the way Ashton is looking at him. Like he's disappointed.

The hippie boy scoffs at him, “Yes you are. You really think that nothing will change, don't you? That we can't change it ourselves?” Luke shuffles on his feet uncomfortably, eyes not meeting the other boys, with no idea on how to answer him at all. His silence seems to be enough for Ashton though.

“That's it isn't it. Tell me, have you being laughing at me this whole time, Luke, just humouring me and then laughing in your head?” he demands, and Luke feels trapped, as if he's the one who is stood behind the bars with no escape, as he tries to figure out just how this all went this way so quickly.

“No, of course not -” he tries, somewhat desperately in a lame attempt to smooth things over.

“Then why don't you say something, why don't you  _do_  something?” Ashton asks, fiercely. And it's the first time that Luke truly sees the protester behind the smile, the fight that flashes in the boy's eyes, and he doesn't really have time to consider that this is how he does it. This is how Ashton gets those people to follow him, to join with him in these protests, he makes the need to fight back so strong that before you know it, that's exactly what you're doing.

Only, Luke never thought he would be fighting the hippie boy stood in front of him. “Because I  _need_  my job, Ashton. I actually kind of like it as well, despite how 'corrupt' you say it is, the system is.” he's shouting, barely recognising his own voice as it bounces around the cell room. Ashton's eye brows jumping up at the blonde's reaction, hands going slack on the bars. And maybe because he sees that it's working, that he's making the other boy back down, but whatever it is Luke's not really thinking when he goes on to say, “Do  _you_  even care, or is this all just a way to get some attention from mommy and daddy?”

He knows its a low blow, knows that he probably shouldn't have said it and regrets it the moment the words leave his mouth. Ashton's backing up, away from Luke until his knees touch the bench at the back of the cell.

His voice his barely more than a whisper when he says, “What do you mean?”

Luke freezes, tries to speak but his words wont come out right, he swallows hard and tries again, “Your dad...he's the mayor of the town you're from isn't he.” he mutters, glancing up at Ashton's hard expression. “You're family is just really rich, so I got me wondering why you would do all this, when you would be essentially fighting your own family?”

Luke's words hang in the air between them as Ashton stays deathly silent, eyes scanning over the officer and he feels as if he is being x-rayed by the other boy. “So the only natural conclusion you came to was that I was a over-privilaged brat looking for some attention because what... I wasn't 'loved' enough when I was a kid or something? What, is that it, Luke?” he demands, voice low and dangerous but it cracks towards the end, making Luke think that Ashton might just be as upset at how this has turned out as he is.

“No, Ash that's not it at all, I just...I...I don't know, okay. I don't know what I thought.” Luke says, desperately stepping forward so he is the one gripping the bars, pressing his face through the gap between them. Ashton's not even looking at him now, and the blonde swears that he can see the other boy's eyes watering slightly.

There's nothing but the sound of reporters outside and Luke's heart thumping in his ears in the silence of the room before he hears Ashton ask quietly, “How do you even know about all that, anyway?”

And Luke blushes, shuffling on his feet, because he knows the answer isn't going to make anything better, but he knows he can't lie either. “I might have....I might have looked through your families records once, just once.” he says, lip between his teeth as he waits for the explosion to come.

But it doesn't, Ashton just sits there, hands gripping the sides of the bench and smirks at the ground with a little huff of air. “Please, go away now.” he asks, swinging his legs up and turning away from the officer.

Luke doesn't know what else he can do apart from listen to him. He knows that if he tries to speak with him more, Ashton wouldn't have any of it, that it would make no difference. So he slumps back to his desk, tries to concentrate of his work and not the boy curled up in the cell right across from him.

It doesn't go very well.

 

~oOo~

 

Luke doesn't see Ashton for three weeks.

If anything, their argument had succeeded in having the hippie boy do his best not to get arrested, knowing that he would have to see the blonde boy again if he did. On the other hand, Luke didn't think he had ever wanted someone to get arrested more in his life.

He missed Ashton. That was the problem, one that couldn't be solved with extra shifts to fill up his time which would otherwise be spent at home, where his mind would undoubtedly drift to the other boy. But even that didn't work, he glared every time someone was put into 'Ashton's' cell, even though he knew it was stupid to think of it that way, but at the same time he didn't care because all he did care about was that it was  _Ashton's Cell._

Then, three weeks after the argument, things started to get restless. They had been expecting trouble for a few days before it happens, the mass protest...or 'potential riot' as Luke often heard his superiors refer to it as. He doesn't even know what the protest itself is about or that it is the reason that the chief has them all gathered in the room for a briefing.

That is until he hears his name being called out, “Hemmings, you'll be with Sgt Harrison on Brick Street.” and Luke just nods, because he suddenly realised that  _shit this is serious_  and then he cant stop thinking about how Ashton is bound to be caught up in the middle of all this.

That's all he's thinking as he takes up his post on Brick Street, along with six other officers and he can see the mass of protesters up ahead, their signs and banners, hear their chants. It seems to be something about 'Free Love' or something like that, but all Luke wants right then is to be up there looking for Ashton, not here just watching and not knowing what is going to happen. Waiting for  _something_  to happen.

He's on 'patrol' as the chief calls it (like they're soldiers for the night, not police.) when it does happen. It fast, so fast that no one really knows what does set it off, but the chants turn to shouts and the signs become weapons against the mass of police that are suddenly storming the front of the crowd.

Luke's heart is in his throat, the officer next to him is telling him to do something before he's running off, grabbing random protesters and throwing them to the ground. There's a small hill in the centre of it all, where a few protesters are still gathered, shouting out their message through bull horns, and that's when Luke hears him. Hears Ashton's voice floating out over the noise of the fight that is now all around him.

He rushes for the hill, as he gets closer, spotting a familiar mess of curls in the small group that surround him. Luke feels drawn in like a magnet, like the only thing in his line of sight is Ashton on that hill, which is why he doesn't see the body that collides with him, sending him sprawling to the ground.

It's like all the air had been knocked out of him, and Luke clutches at his side as he scrambles back to his feet, already knowing that there is going to be a bruise on his ribs the next morning, but he couldn't give less of a shit. Because Ashton is gone again. The hill had been over run and their wasn't a curly haired boy insight.

_no no no no no no no no no_

_where are you_

There are people running away now, the police seem to be taking control and the protesters are spreading out into the side streets. Luke feels himself start to calm down, because it'll be over soon, it'll be over and he can find him and -

**bang**

His blood runs cold at the sudden sound which echoes around the street, followed by more screams and Luke isn't so calm any more.

_that was a gunshot_

_that was a fucking gunshot_

He feels like he's about to pass out when another officer grabs him and orders Luke back to the station, and the blonde boy takes off as fast as he can. Knowing that if there was anywhere to find Ashton it would be there. It was always there.

 

~

 

The station is a mess when Luke arrives.

The cells are crammed full with hippies and other protesters, but there's not a familiar face amongst them as he frantically searches the crowd. No one really knows what they are supposed to be doing, just seem to be mulling around making space for the people the other officers keep bringing in, even though the cells are bursting already by this point.

It like he can sense it, that Luke was meant to turn around that that exact moment to see Ashton being brought it. And Luke's whole world slows down and he feels anger flood his whole body. Ashton's not being brought in, he's being  _dragged._

His legs have given out behind him and are just sliding across the floor, his clothes are torn and stained with heavy, dark patches that Luke doesn't want to think about because the sign already makes his stomach flip. He's actually grateful that Ashton's head is bowed, he doesn't think he can take seeing it as well if it matches the rest of him.

“Where are you taking him?” Luke asks one of the officers, trying to keep his voice as level as possible, as if they weren't currently holding the semi conscious body of one of the most important people in Luke's life between them.

“To which ever cell has more room.” the officer replies, checking each one as they pass before finding one he liked.

“But he needs a hospital, he can't be here!” Luke argues, trying to grab hold of one of the men's arms and pull him back. It doesn't work and he watches as they throw Ashton to the ground, like he was a bag of trash and with an expression to match.

“That  _fag_  doesn't need anything.” one of them spits, and before Luke can stop him, his foot shoot out connecting with Ashton's stomach and the boy cries out, curling back in on himself.

Luke sees red.

The next thing he knows is that is hand is stinging, aching like it's burning up all the way up his arm, and the officer who hurt his Ashton is clutching onto one of the bars, holding a bloodied nose in his other hand.

“Why you little sh-” he's growling, trying to make another move towards the blonde but the other officer is holding him back, pulling him away and saying something about fixing his nose, before anything could happen.

Once he's out of sight Luke dives down to Ashton, hands hovering over him, not know where to touch...where he  _can_  touch, without hurting him more. But he knows he has to move him, so he slips his hands under the other boys arms and smiles at the other protesters who help lift him up and onto Luke's back.

There's a small room at the back of the station which he knows would probably be empty right now, and that's where he goes. Laying Ashton down on the small, beaten up couch that sits next to the wall, propping a pillow under his head and brushing the hair off his face before going to fetch a first aid kit.

As Luke's cleaning the cuts he tries not to look to closely at how bad some of them are, even looking at the ripped flower crown which is still clinging partly onto his hair, makes his heart clench in his chest. After a minute of running the warm towel over his face, Ashton's eyes blink open, searching the face of the boy above him and frowning, trying to sit up before he realises that it hurts to do that and stops quickly.

“Hey, hey, hey...don't move too much okay.” Luke tells him, smoothing a hand down the side of Ashton's face, as the boy continues to stare at him.

“Luke?” he asks, voice cracked and tired. “What are you doing here?”

The blonde boy can only laugh, because really shouldn't it be obvious by now? “Don't ask stupid questions.” he tells him, trying to smile but something tells him it doesn't quite work. “What happened, Ash? Why did they do this to you?”

“Because they're ignorant, narrow minded ass h-”

“Ash, just tell me.” Luke says.

The hippie boy sighs, “I wanted to make a statement.” he starts and Luke rolls his eyes, head falling into his hands as he groans. “We needed something big, something shocking...so I turned and kissed my friend Calum...my guy friend Calum...” under the forming bruises, Luke can see the blush on Ashton's face as his eye's search the officer's face for his reaction.

“You know...you and your bloody statements are going to get you killed one day.” Luke laughs bitterly, “Is that why they did this, because they saw you two?” Ashton nods, and the blonde boy scowls, pressing the towel to the other forehead, “I can't believe they did this, it's not right.” he mutters, surprised at the choked gasp of laughter that bursts out of the boy on the couch.

“Careful Luke, you might accidentally sound like you give a shit about something.” Ashton says, and Luke flinches back as if he'd been stung.

“That's not fair.” he says, throat closing up around the words as Ashton snorts, eyes falling closed. “That's not fair...I do give a shit about something you know.” Luke says again, a fiercer tone to his voice, making the other boy meet his gaze again.

“Oh and what is that exactly?” Ashton asks, obviously trying to be more casual about the whole thing then his face suggests, hazel eyes wide and teeth edging over the uncut part of his lip.

Luke pulls himself up onto the couch, fingers fiddling with the hem of Ashton's patterned shirt, using it as a sort of anchor, “It's more of a 'who', actually.” he starts, “I've been seeing them for a while now, and they make me really happy, even though I'm scared that I hurt them a few times. I could listen to them talk all night, I care about what they say because it's important to them and when they talk about it, they light up and it's the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Ashton's hand slips down so that his finger tips are dancing over the skin of Luke's hand, and the blonde smiles as he goes on. “They have a thing for making a statement, and I'm worried that one day it might go too far and I'll loose them.” Luke doesn't even notice that his voice has become slightly choked up until he feels a warm hand linking with his own, and he squeezes back. “I know it's not a cause, I know it doesn't effect anyone else, help the world in anyway or change it. But _he_ is what _I_ care about, and _he_ is what _I_ want to fight for.”

“You know, you should think about going into public speaking.” Ashton chuckles lightly after they spend a whole minute just staring between their locked hands and each other.

Luke smiles, “Maybe you should think about not kissing guys in front of a huge crowd of police officers?” he jokes, but Ashton's expression drops, suddenly quite serious.

“What if the guy I want to kiss _is_ a police officer?” he ask, hesitantly, as if this would be a make or break factor even after all Luke had just told him. 

The blonde pauses dramatically, free hand running along his chin, “I think the officer in question would be okay with that...after all I did only say in front of a crowd of them.” he reasons.

Ashton sits up slightly, bending as much as his bruised body would allow, his eyes laughing. “Great so Steve isn't seeing anyone then?” he asks, and Luke swats at him as the hippie boy laughs loudly, “I'm sorry I'm sorry, It's you of course, only you.” he insists, trying to get the other boy to call of his half assed attack.

Which he does, only to gasp dramatically, hand flying to his mouth. “Oh, this is awkward, I was actually talking about Calum.” and there's a pause as Ashton stares up at him, eyes narrowed as he tries to read Luke's face. 

“You fucker!” he laughs, seeing how the other boys eyes crinkled under his hand. “You had me going there for a second.”

“Just a second, damn I swear I was more convincing than that.”

“Your acting skills need some work I'm afraid.”

“Oh right, so are you going to keep on criticising my acting or are you going to kiss me already?”

And really, that wasn't even a question worth thinking about for longer than it takes Ashton to lean up, closing those few inches and taking Luke's lips between his own. The taller boy moves in closer, hand slipping under Ashton's jaw as their mouths move together, chasing away the metallic taste of blood until he found the essence of the boy underneath it. 

He wants to get even closer, but is still very aware of how hurt Ashton is so Luke settles for coaxing his way past the other boy's lips, moaning as their tongues meet and Ashton's back firmly settle back against the couch with Luke hovering over and -

“Ouch, fuck!” Ashton hisses, pulling back abruptly, the cut on his mouth re opened and bright red blood spilling down his chin.

“Oh my god, I didn't think! I'm sorry!” Luke cries, hands flying to the hippie boy's face, tilting it up and looking at the cut. 

Ashton only laughs, “It's fine, Luke, relax.” he says, “Actually, I think you should try and kiss it better.” he adds with a smirk on the good side of his face. 

The younger boy rolls his eyes, but does it anyway, Ashton's thumb coming up to wipe away the flecks of blood of his lips. “Better?” he asks and the other boy nods, “Anywhere else?” Ashton only smirks even more, gesturing to the rest of his body and Luke sighs, “It's a good thing I locked that door.”

  
  


 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i will learn how to end fics smoothly one day i swear! in the mean time, come talk to me (bc im needy as hell XD) (cliffakitten.tumblr.com)


End file.
